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Wildheart Animal Sanctuary provides a forever home to more than 70 rescued animals, including tigers, white lions, and rescued bears Benji and Balu. The Sanctuary welcomes around 90,000 visitors a year to its coastal site in Sandown, Isle of Wight. With 35 staff and over 40 volunteers operating across a varied site, every team needs to be reliably connected. 2CL has been their trusted radio partner since 2017, supplying and supporting a fleet of Hytera digital two-way radios that keeps every corner of the site connected. |
AT A GLANCE Industry: Leisure & Entertainment / Charity & Conservation |
“2CL is always quick to respond whenever we need anything. As our site and operations have grown, they have been on hand to advise on the right equipment to meet our needs. 2CL do not feel like just a supplier. They understand our mission and what we need for our site.”
— Darren Carter Smith, Facilities and Projects Manager, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary
About Wildheart Animal Sanctuary
Wildheart Animal Sanctuary is run by the Wildheart Trust, a registered charity dedicated to wildlife conservation and the welfare of animals in human care. The Sanctuary provides a forever home to over 70 rescued animals across more than 70 species: from lions and tigers to Eurasian lynxes and the Sanctuary’s most celebrated new residents, rescued bears Benji and Balu.
The Sanctuary employs 35 staff and relies on more than 40 volunteers, with teams spanning animal care, veterinary support, maintenance, medics, front of house, fundraising and events. Around 90,000 visitors pass through the gates each year, a figure that grew following the high-profile arrival of Benji and Balu. The brothers were rescued from years of living in poor conditions in Azerbaijan following an international campaign that raised over £300,000. Their safe arrival required close coordination across the site, and their ongoing care requires constant vigilance from the animal team. The welfare of every animal there is the reason the Sanctuary exists, and reliable communication is key in supporting that aim.
The Challenge
The Sanctuary’s site within the former Sandown Fort creates coverage challenges that a standard radio system cannot solve. The fort’s thick stone walls, the mix of indoor and outdoor animal enclosures and the coastal location combine to create dead zones where the radio signal can drop out entirely. In a welfare environment, that is not something any team can work around.
In the event a keeper conducts a routine check and needs to report an urgent issue, they need to be able to raise the alarm and get the veterinary team moving immediately. A lost signal at that moment is not a minor operational inconvenience. It could directly affect the outcome for the animal.
Their radios also need to withstand the demands of the environment. Staff carry them into animal enclosures, in all weathers, exposing them to dry, dusty, hot and humid conditions. The kit needs to handle drops, coastal weather and the general wear of an active outdoor working day without failing. And with over 40 volunteers rotating through the team, the system had to be straightforward enough for a new user to pick up without lengthy training.
The Solution
2CL equipped the Sanctuary with Hytera digital two-way radios. Built for protection against dust and water ingress, the PD405 is well suited to the demands of working in and around animal enclosures across a mixed indoor and outdoor site. Digital audio clarity means communication stays clean even when staff are moving between very different environments, and the long battery life of up to 13 hours keeps the team connected throughout a full working day.
As the Sanctuary has expanded, 2CL introduced the Hytera HP505GU alongside the existing fleet. The HP505GU is built for extended communication range, a meaningful advantage as the Sanctuary’s footprint grows, and features Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free operation.
To mitigate dead zones created by the fort’s stone structure, 2CL installed a repeater as part of the radio system. The repeater rebroadcasts the radio signals, extending coverage, and eliminating black spots that would otherwise make areas of the site unreachable.
“The system 2CL installed just simply works. Since it went in, the coverage we get across the site, including in areas that used to be black spots, has made a direct improvement in how the team operates day to day.”
— Darren Carter Smith, Facilities and Projects Manager, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary
The Results
When rescued bears Benji and Balu arrived at the Sanctuary, getting them safely through the site and into their new purpose-built enclosure required multiple teams, including animal care, keepers and maintenance, to stay in constant contact. The radio system kept everyone coordinated throughout. In the weeks that followed, as the team supervised the brothers settling into their new home, the radios gave staff the confidence that support would just be a moment away if it was needed.
Faster response to visitor and site emergencies
The system also helps the humans on site too. Should a visitor need first aid, a trained staff member can be reached and directed to the right location quickly. When maintenance or repair works are underway near animal enclosures, the radio system keeps the team coordinated from a health and safety perspective, protecting both the people doing the work and the animals nearby. Front-of-house staff can also answer visitor queries efficiently, radioing colleagues to get accurate information rather than leaving visitors waiting.
Site-wide coverage with no black spots
The repeater eliminated the dead zones created by the fort’s stonework and the varied layout of the site. Every team, from keepers in the animal enclosures to the events team at the boundary, now has a reliable signal. The coverage even extends beyond the Sanctuary’s perimeter, giving staff reassurance wherever they are.
And for Benji and Balu, the same system that coordinated their arrival now keeps the keepers who watch over them connected across every corner of their new home.
“Communication is at the heart of everything we do at Wildheart. When something happens with one of our animals, the team needs to be able to reach each other immediately. The system 2CL put in gives us that confidence every single day.”
— Darren Carter Smith, Facilities and Projects Manager, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary
Ready to Keep Your Team Connected?
Whether you run a zoo, safari park, or visitor attraction, 2CL has the expertise, equipment, and ongoing support to keep every team connected across your site.
Call us on 0800 389 2278 or send us a message.
Also see:
- Sector: Leisure & Entertainment
- Product: Hytera Digital Radios
- Service: Systems & Services